Manish Singhal has been appointed as the new Secretary General of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham), a key milestone for the organization as it looks to further strengthen its role in promoting India’s economic growth. Manish succeeds Deepak Sood, who served successfully as Secretary General for the past five years and has stepped down to explore other opportunities.
Manish’s appointment comes at a time when Assocham is aiming to bolster its advocacy efforts and enhance its impact within India’s business ecosystem. Before joining Assocham, Manish served as Deputy Secretary General at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), where he contributed significantly to policy advocacy and international business relations. His vast experience includes working with several leading transnational companies such as Tata Motors, Eicher, Tata AutoComp Systems, Moser Baer India, and BEML, further adding to his extensive background in the business sector.
The President of Assocham, Sanjay Nayar, expressed appreciation for the contributions of Deepak Sood in revitalizing the chamber and acknowledged his success in rebuilding the organization’s financial health and overall operations. With Manish now at the helm, Nayar welcomed his leadership, highlighting Manish’s proven track record in policy development and international business, which will be instrumental in taking Assocham to greater heights.
Assocham, founded in 1920, is India’s oldest apex chamber and has continuously worked to advocate policies that strengthen the Indian economic framework. The chamber represents over 4,50,000 members, including large corporates and MSMEs, and plays a significant role in shaping India’s business landscape. Under Manish’s leadership, the chamber is expected to expand its efforts to drive impactful policy changes that benefit businesses across the country.
In its ongoing efforts to encourage investment, Assocham has also been advocating for a series of measures aimed at simplifying taxation for businesses, particularly MSMEs and emerging sectors like data centers and cloud computing. During a pre-budget meeting with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Assocham proposed extending the scope of presumptive taxation to these sectors, a move that would reduce compliance burdens and mitigate the risks of tax disputes.
Manish’s extensive experience in policy advocacy and his leadership in both national and international business make him a perfect fit to lead Assocham into its next phase of growth. His appointment signals a renewed commitment to enhancing India’s economic ecosystem through strategic advocacy and initiatives that foster innovation and investment.